FERRUM, Va. -- Ferrum College junior DL Montel Lee and freshman RB Brian Mann have been honored by the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) with All-State honors. Both are first team selections and Mann is the 2016 VaSID Offensive Rookie of the Year.

VaSID annually names 27 All-State teams in 15 sports, as well as an Academic All-State squad and an all-sports champion in both the University and College Divisions. VaSID's University Division is comprised of NCAA Div. I institutions from across the state, while the College Division includes all NCAA Div. II, III and NAIA schools. VaSID membership is open to all media relations professionals working at a college or conference in the state of Virginia.

VaSID's five major awards went to five different schools on this year's College Division Football All-State Team. Joining Mann were Offensive Player of the Year Taylor Loudan from Christopher Newport University, Defensive Player of the Year Zachary Blair from the University of Virginia-Wise, Defensive Rookie of the Year Neil Davis from Southern Virginia University and Coach of the Year Pedro Arruza from Randolph-Macon College.

Mann and Lee are two of 24 All-State first team picks this season. Overall, 48 players from across the state made the 2016 VaSID College Division Football All-State. For Lee, this is Lee's third straight first team selection, a feat no previous Ferrum player has accomplished. He was also the VaSID Defensive Rookie of the Year as a freshman in 2014.

Lee was the 2016 USA South Defensive Player of the Year and an All-Conference first team pick after leading the league with sacks this season for 83 yards. He set school records for career sacks (27) and single game sacks (4 vs. Hampden-Sydney Sept. 17), was named USA South Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 19 and was named to the D3football.com National Team of the Week Sept. 20. At the close of the season, Lee was honored by D3football.com with All-Region second team honors.

Mann had an incredible freshman season, racking up one honor after the other. He was a finalist for the 2016 Willie Lanier Award, awarded annually to the Commonwealth of Virginia's top small college football player by the Touchdown Club of Richmond and the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Mann was the 2016 USA South Offensive Rookie of the Year, joined Lee on the All-Conference first team, and earned All-Conference second team as a return specialist. He posted eight 100-yard rushing games, earned seven USA South Offensive Rookie of the Week honors, was named to the D3football.com National Team of the Week Oct. 25 and was named WDBJ-7 Anchor All-Star on Oct. 29.

Mann set four school records during his rookie campaign; single game rushing yards (254 vs. LaGrange Oct. 22), single game all-purpose yards (344 vs. Methodist Oct. 29), season rushing attempts (259) and season rushing yards (1453). He led the USA South in rushing yards (1453) and all-purpose yards (2019).

Lee and Mann helped the Panthers close out the 2016 season with a 6-4 overall record and a 4-3 mark in the USA South. First-year Head Coach Rob Grande will lose 10 players to graduation in May.